MAJOR-GENERAL ALAIN PELLEGRINI APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER

OF UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Alain Pellegrini of France as Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) to succeed Major-General Lalit Mohan Tewari who relinquishes his post on 17 February 2004.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENTREPRESENTATIVE OF THAILANDPRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and LiaisonService.)

LaxanachantornLaohaphan, the new Permanent Representative of Thailand,presented her credentials today to Secretary-General KofiAnnan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF KUWAIT PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Nabeela Abdulla Al-Mulla, the new Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, presented her credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ARGENTINA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

César Mayoral, the new Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

MAJOR-GENERAL BALA NANDA SHARMA APPOINTED FORCE COMMANDER OF UNITED

NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE (UNDOF)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Bala Nanda Sharma of Nepal as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to succeed Major-General Franciszek Gagor who relinquishes his post on 16 January 2004.

Biographical Note

MAJOR-GENERAL HERBERT JOAQUIN FIGOLI ALMANDOS OF URUGUAY APPOINTED

FORCE COMMANDER OF CYPRUS PEACEKEEPING FORCE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today the appointment of Major-General Herbert Joaquin Figoli Almandos of Uruguay as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to succeed Lieutenant General Jin Ha Hwang, who relinquished his post on 25 December 2003.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MEXICO PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Enrique Berruga Filloy, the new permanent representative of Mexico, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

ROSS MOUNTAIN NAMED ACTING SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR IRAQ

      Secretary-General Kofi Annan today named Ross Mountain as his acting Special Representative for Iraq.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOLOMON ISLANDS PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Colin D. Beck, the new Permanent Representative of the Solomon Islands to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BHUTAN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Daw Penjo, the new Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.

Mr. Penjo joined Bhutan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980.  Before his current appointment, he was the director of the bilateral department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs